The name Winchester rifle is frequently use to describe any of the lever-action rifles manufactured in America by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company in the latter half of the 19th Century, although it is usually in reference to the Winchester Model 1873 or the Winchester Model 1894. Winchester rifles were amongst the earliest repeating rifles, and as such the Winchester name has become synonymous with lever-action firearms. The gun is colloquially known as "The Gun that Won the West" for its immense popularity at that time, as well as its use in fictional Westerns.